


Atomic

by darlingeddie



Category: IT (1990), IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016), Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: Adult Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, Angst, Apocalypse, Arson, Attempted Abortion, Badass, Bill Denbrough & Eddie Kaspbrak Are Best Friends, Blood and Violence, Cannibalism, Discussion of Abortion, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier-centric, Established Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Foursome - M/M/M/M, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, Gay Richie Tozier, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, M/M, Major Character Injury, Murder, Post-Apocalypse, Reunion Sex, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:41:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24425179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingeddie/pseuds/darlingeddie
Summary: A bombing attack occurs in the center of New York, causing pernicious toxins and radiation to fill the air of the ravaged location. Survivors must either evade the air or face the slow, painful death and mutations that result from inhaling the toxic radiation.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom & Beverly Marsh, Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough & Stanley Uris, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak & Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	1. The Beginning | E.T

**Author's Note:**

> I own none of these characters, this is simply an au based off of any version of Stephen King’s IT.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eddie Kaspbrak’s life takes a turn for the worse after a short broadcast declares that life as everyone knows it is about to be utterly demolished.

it had started with a broadcast. a simple news channel, frantically scattering the papers around while trying to process the newly received information. 

"hold up, folks! we have received new, exclusive information!" the reporter furrowed her eyebrows, her face dropping. "w-what?!" she whispered to someone off camera, her expression now one slapped with fear. her small hands began to shake, her blue eyes widening by the second with newfound terror. she looked back at the camera, tears brimming her eyes and threatening to spill at any given moment. 

"w-we have just received n-news of an incoming attack. p-planes hovering over the center of New York city, a threat of a b-bombing-" she cut herself off, shaking her head and running her hands through her neat, auburn hair, "t-they're said to go o-off in-. an hour?!" she cried out, the tears now falling down the sides of her round face. 

after the declaration that in just a short sixty minutes, New York would be in crumbles, eddie didn't catch much of the announcement. he could hear screaming from outside his apartment, his small body shaking from his place on the small, lumpy couch that lay smack-dab in the middle of his living room. eddie chewed on his nails anxiously, the tips of his fingers becoming a bit moist with saliva. 

"f-fuck," he breathed, his heart thumping against the inside of his rib cage, threatening to crack the bones and break through the flesh of his body. he jolted as his phone rang loudly in his pocket, the familiar ring tone making his heart speed up even more. he grabbed his phone, immediately accepting the call. 

"holy f-fuck, thank fuck," the voice on the other end sighed in relief, panic lacing the tone. eddie clutched the phone to his ear shakily, squeezing his grey eyes shut as the tears began to slip down his cheeks. 

"r-richie," he whimpered out loud, hoping the device picked up his soft whisper. he waited for an answer, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the electronic tightly. eddie could hear the screams and shouts coming from the speaker, also picking up on the loud clampering of feet. 

"just s-stay put, eddie, i-i'm coming as quickly as i c-can," richie panted, his voice a bit distorted from the bad connection. it sounded as though he was sprinting, which he probably was. 

"p-please be safe, chee, p-please get here quick," eddie cried, tucking his knees to his chest as the sobs racked through his tiny body. he fiddled with the ring on his finger, rubbing at it as he imagined his husband pushing through the crowds of screaming people, vulnerable. 

"i-i'm with bev, just stay there, love, i-i'll be there as soon as-" the connection cut off, making eddie look at his phone with wide eyes. he frantically tried to call richie again, but he got the same message every single time. 

error: signal lost 

each time the alert came across his screen, a bit of eddies heart break, making him whimper out, looking around in fear. there was a loud, impatient banging on his door, making him jump and clamp a hand over his mouth. his chestnut bangs hung in his face, his light grey eyes stricken with genuine fear. he shakily stood up, moving quietly to the kitchen to grab a knife from one of his drawers. he gripped the handle tightly, carefully sitting down behind the counter, hugging his knees to his chest. 

the banging continued, making the tears come faster, streaming down his freckled cheeks and plopping onto the sharp blade of the knife. he held his breath and whispered as he heard the sound of wood splintering, a loud crash filling the atmosphere. he squeezed his eyes shut, covering his mouth and trying not to make another sound. wood crunched as something stepped over the shattered door, making eddies heart pound in utter terror. that is, until a familiar voice rang through. 

"fuck! he isn't here, where the shit could he have gone?" 

eddie opened his eyes, his eyelashes clumping together from the tears. he put his hands on the ground, crawling a bit before peeking out of the kitchen, gazing fearfully into the living room. two recognize-able figures stood in his house, making him gasp in pure relief. 

"bill!" he cried out, standing up shakily and running to the man, colliding with his chest. the emerald-eyed man cursed under his breath, sighing as he closed his arms around eddie. 

"fuck, don't scare me like t-that," bill breathed, his brown hair falling in front of his worried eyes. eddie looked at the other person, pulling away from his childhood bestfriend. 

"mike," he whimpered, wrapping his arms around his waist, holding his face in his chest. 

mike laughed a bit, holding the smaller man and rubbing his back. his dark curls hung in his face, his brown eyes looking at eddie lovingly. 

"rich and bev are headed to her basement, outside city lines, she said something about it being a steady hideout," richie's twin brother, mike, informed. eddie had always been in awe of how similar they looked, the only difference being richie's bright, blue eyes.

"stan's grabbing shit from the grocery store with b-ben and hanlon's focused on the pharmacy," bill stated, frowning as his stutter slipped through. 

"what about max and jane?" eddie asked worriedly, peering up at both of them. 

"they're fine, they're with lucas. no one has heard from will or dustin," mike shook his head, frowning. 

"we have to find them, we can't just, not look for them! they could b-be anywhere, they could be hurt, or worse-" eddie rambled, his cheeks flushed with a light pink hue. 

"ed, we will, j-just not right now. we have to focus on getting the majority of the group back to bev's," bill tried to soothe his anxiety. 

"we only have forty minutes left, we have to go," mike sighed, grabbing eddies hand and pulling the young man along. 

"w-wait! i have to grab some t-things," eddie pleaded, tugging on mike's arm. the taller sighed, letting eddie go. the brunette immediately scampered into his and richie's shared bedroom, snatching a suit case and throwing a mix of their clothes inside. he wiped his eyes as he grabbed a photo of them from his nightstand, one they had taken as fifteen year olds. he tried not to think of everything being left behind, all the memories and keep sakes. he grabbed what was important, stopping when a small bark interrupted his search. 

his heart dropped as he turned on his heel, glancing at the small, fluffy pomeranian perched on a small floor pillow. eddie frowned, looking around for something he could carry the dog in. he quickly grabbed a purse, scooping up the puppy and setting it in the bag. 

"you have to be quiet, baby," eddie murmured to the canine, patting her head softly, "got that, pumpkin?" 

the dog yipped, laying down in the bag contently. eddie slung it over his shoulder carefully, looking around the room one last time before grabbing the bag filled with clothes and toiletries. he walked out of the room, rejoining bill and mike. 

"r-ready?" bill asked, taking eddies hand so that the smaller man wouldn't get lost in the rough crowds. eddie nodded, holding onto bill. he glanced at his apartment one last time, trying not to think of all the memories that would be crushed under the bomb. he felt the tears trickle down his cheeks, looking away and leaning into bill. 

"it'll b-be okay, ed," bill said softly, although he wasn't too sure. they left the apartment, their strides fast. mike walked in front of them, pushing through the crowds in the middle of the apartment building hallways. bill held onto eddie, making sure he didn't fall behind. 

eddie whimpered as he was brutally dragged through crowds of shouting adults, crying children, and screaming babies. he clutched onto bill, just wanting to feel safe for a second. he flinched as a man yanked him away from bill's grasp, his eyes wide and puffed from crying. 

"we're all gonna die!" he screamed in eddie's face, shaking his shoulders violently. the man seemed wild, his eyes blood shot and lip bleeding. his nails dug into the soft skin of eddie's shoulders, causing the smaller to wince in pain and lean away from his touch. eddie cried out for bill when the man wouldn't let him go, his hoarse voice screeching about the end of the world. he squirmed to try and escape his grasp, looking desperately around for his friends.

bill immediately responded, turning around and pushing the man off of eddie. he glared at him, ushering the brunette back near mike. they knew it would be hard to get out of the swamps of panicking people, for people were getting attacked left and right. 

they eventually made it, pushing through the front doors to be greeted with the blinding sun and roaring clumps of angry people. they could hear gunshots echoing through the atmosphere, making the trio terrified and anxious. 

"w-what do we do?" eddie gulped, looking around and making eye contact with a crazed woman, a rifle being supported in her small hands. she had blood dripping down her nose, her entire body shaking as she screamed at the top of her lungs, causing eddie to clutch his ears to try and block her out. 

he was horrified, glancing around at the people sprinting and yelling. he could see people on the ground, some trampled and wailing in pain while others lay lifeless, blood pouring from gashes. 

"don't look, block it out," mike whispered urgently, "just across the street we have a car, we just need to cross." 

this was easier said than done, as cars and trucks were speeding down the paved road, hitting anyone who dared to attempt to walk in front. bodies flew left and right, cries filling the air. the snaps of bones and bodies could also be heard, the impacts of cars slamming into people making eddie shudder. 

"how do w-we cross?" bill murmured, yelping a bit as a woman quite literally ran into his chest, not even apologizing. 

"we're gonna have to run," mike responded lowly, taking a bag from eddie to lighten his load. eddie felt dizzy, his nails digging into the flesh of his palm anxiously. eddie knew he was faster than any of them, but that's what made him worried. what if he made it, what if bill or mike didn't? he whimpered softly, the tears threatening to fall again. 

"on three. run for your fucking life," mike commanded, giving eddie a gentle push forward. 

"o-one," bill counted, making eddies eyes widen. they had got to be kidding. 

"two," mike murmured, getting ready to sprint across the road. eddie gasped. fuck, they were serious. 

"t-three!" bill and mike took off, and everything seemed to happen in slow motion. eddie pushed off his back foot, sprinting across the paved road, clutching his bag close to him. he heard cars swerving and people screaming, but all he cared about was getting to the other side. his heartbeat thumped in his ears, reminding him that he was alive, but if he wasn't fast enough he wouldn't be for much longer. his sneakers scratched against the pavement as he launched himself onto the sidewalk, a car whipping by right behind him, barely missing his small body. his chest heaved with adrenaline, clutching the bag that held his dog tightly. his breathing was irregular, tears brimming his eyes. 

he snapped his head around to look for mike and bill, his throat sore as the wind roared in his ears. 

"mike! bill!" he cried out, his yells being drowned out by the screaming and honking of trucks and vehicles around him. he was ready to start sobbing when arms wrapped around his waist, making him flinch but then relax, turning around. 

"thank god," he choked out, grasping denbrough's shirt fabric roughly, keeping him close. mike was behind him, ruffling his raven curls. 

"c'mon, we have a-a car," bill pulled eddie along, following mike's fast strides. mike's car was parked on the sidewalk, one of the side windows shattered as if someone had hurled their fist against the glass. the paint was damaged badly, blood smeared across the front window, and the front hood was dented badly, as if a body had fallen straight on top of it. 

eddie immediately ran to the car, opening the door and climbing in. he clutched his bag to his chest as he sat in the backseat. he opened the bag, peering inside. he sighed in relief, giggling a bit at the dog looking up at him. 

"pumpkin," he smiled softly, running his hand through the dog's long fur. he remembered when richie brought the puppy home, claiming it was their 'long lost child.' eddie had been hesitant at first but alas, he had grown to love the small animal. 

bill got in the passengers seat while mike sat down to drive, starting the engine hastily. the car roared to life, stuttering a bit at first but then starting. mike immediately stepped on the gas, driving forward at a slow pace. they got a few feet before mike slammed on the breaks, a woman running out in the street, her arm twisted backwards at an unnatural angle. 

"m-mike, we can't stop f-for these people," bill sighed, urging him to continue driving. mike gulped but drove forward, silently thanking the injured woman for getting out of the road in time so he didn't have to hit her. 

eddie screamed out as a man crashed against the window in the back seat, his fist banging on the glass. eddie cried out in fear, backing away from the window and moving to the farthest seat away. bill looked back, yelping as the man pressed his face against the glass, a large smile pressing against the glass. 

"b-bill!" eddie shrieked, trying to kick at the window, attempting to scare the weirdo off. 

"mike! fucking get us out of here!!" bill yelled, glaring at the tozier twin. the man stared at eddie, his eyes blood shot and drool dripping down his chin, his face still pressed against the glass window. eddie shuddered as mike stomped on the gas, speeding off. he watched in horror as the man at the window was left behind, just standing in the road and staring at them driving away. 

eddie shivered, "why the fuck is everyone going insane so fucking quickly?!" he asked, tucking his knees to his chest and sighing. 

"because they just were fucking informed they have an hour to live, of course people are going to go nuts," mike murmured in response, almost so quiet eddie didn't actually hear him. but he did, the brunette huffing a bit and laying his head back against the car headrest.

"s-so how far is b-bev's place?" bill asked as mike swerved to avoid random people sprinting through the streets. eddie gripped the bag with pumpkin in it protectively, upset that the puppy was probably scared. 

"not too far, just outside town, it's a small barn with a deep ass basement. bev said it's practically bomb proof and that her uncle used to spend hours down there, paranoid out of his mind." 

bill nodded in understanding, running his hand through his messy, auburn bangs. he fidgeted with the fabric of his white t-shirt, his other hand drawing patterns onto the roughness of his blue jeans, something stan often did to calm bill when he was feeling nervous. god, stan. he shook his head, they all were worried about their significant others, they just had to stay focused. 

the houses and people whizzed by, the images becoming blurry as they left the town bound, the view now being filled with open land and grass, few houses in sight.

eddie pulled at the strings of the sweatshirt he was wearing, one that happened to belong to richie. he could still smell the linger of his husband's cheap cologne, making him sigh longingly and anxiously. he was snapped out of his reminiscing when mike audibly gasped, making eddie look out the window. 

eddie shuddered at the sight, the small body of a toddler crushed at the side of the road. hit by a car, perhaps, in the way the body was twisted in two different directions. The child's ribs seemed to be flattened and broken, the chest of the little girl ripped open, blood pouring out. 

"f-fuck," bill clasped a hand over his mouth, his breath catching in his throat. eddie stuffed his face in his hands, covering his silvery eyes from the sight. 

"just keep driving, mike!" eddie pleaded, his body shaking a bit. mike gulped, nodding. he drove down further along the road. after a few minutes, they pulled into the driveway of a medium-sized country house. there were four other cars in the front, one actually in motion, pulling into the large garage. 

"who's that?" eddie whispered from the back seat, pointing. 

"hopefully other members of our group," mike sighed, parking the car on the side of the street. eddie gulped, hoping it was some of his friends and not a stranger. they stayed in the car, holding their breath as the other car's door opened, a pair of legs stepping out, the converse hitting the paved floor. 

"oh thank god," mike murmured, getting out of the car. bill followed, but eddie was hesitant. that is, until the person was fully out of the car, slamming the driver door shut. eddie sighed, getting out of the car and hugging the bag to his small body. 

"max!" mike called, jogging over to the woman and pulling her in for a hug. the redhead smiled warmly, wrapping her arms around his waist. 

"hey," she said gently, pulling back after a few seconds, her light blue eyes sparkling with a mix of emotions. bill and eddie reached the pair within a few seconds, everyone turning their heads to the sound of more doors opening. 

"holy shit, you guys made it," the other girl smiled, her chestnut hair falling down to her shoulders. 

"el," eddie sighed, walking over to her to hug the woman. he kept the bag tucked to his side, ignoring the small bark that came from within it.

"hey, eddie," she giggled a bit, wrapping her arms around his short stature. mike stayed quiet, glancing at el but then watching as another left the car. 

"i have to pee, move," will byers climbed out of the car, ignoring the reunion to enter the house through the connected door in the garage. mike sighed, shaking his head but smiling a bit. 

"you can breathe now, he's fine," max laughed, winking. mike rolled his eyes, but deep down he relaxed. 

"has anyone heard from the others?" eddie asked softly from el's arms. el and him had always been close, meeting in college and immediately becoming close friends. 

"no," max sighed, "last we heard from beverly was the instruction to come here." 

eddie swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding. he hugged el tighter, earning him soft affirmations from the other brunette. 

"a-anyone recognise that car?" bill asked quietly, nodding to a honda driving down the road, approaching them. 

mike shook his head, ushering everyone inside the house and pressing a button to close the garage. it creaked shut as they all went inside, eddie looking around the house curiously. it looked like any old house, the decorations plain and the furniture old. he walked into the kitchen, holding onto el's hand gently for comfort. the walls were lined with old, floral wallpapers, the floor beneath them made up of dirty tile. the counters were marble. eddie thought the kitchen was ugly. he set his bag down, giggling softly as pumpkin bounded out, her golden fur frizzy from the fabric of the bag. mike scoffed, pointing at the animal. 

"you brought the fucking dog?!" he questioned, rolling his eyes. 

"her name is pumpkin, jackass," eddie snapped, watching as the dog immediately went exploring, disappearing into a dark hallway.

el squeezed his hand, making eddie look up at her. she led him past the kitchen. they both sat on the big, lumpy brown sofa in the living room, sitting on their knees to part the curtains, peering out the front of the house. 

eddie watched as the card pulled up to the curve, coming to an abrupt hault. he hid behind the curtains a bit, only keeping one eye visible, as to watch warily. he felt his heart pick up as he watched another car pull up, both vehicles parking in front of the house. he gulped, pointing at the front yard to show el. she followed his gaze, glaring at the sight. 

"mike," she whispered urgently, gesturing him over. he strode over, looking from behind the curtains. 

"i know one of those cars," he responded softly, moving to open the front door. 

"don't you dare fucking open that door," max snapped from the kitchen, glaring at the man. 

"why the fuck not?"

"who cares if you know one car!! you're gonna get us all killed, sit the fuck down," she snarled, snapping her fingers. mike flipped her off but backed away, moving to observe with eddie and el on the couch. 

the three watched as the two cars came to a stop, the first door opening. eddie sighed in relief when a familiar man stepped out, his masculine and strong features making eddie feel a sense of safety wash over him. 

"ben," he whimpered softly, his heart filling with joy. flashbacks of their childhood ran through his mind, memories of their friendship filling his eyes with tears. ben grabbed a few bags from the car, hauling them over his shoulder, stepping onto the porch. 

the second car unloaded, eddie immediately jumping up from excitement. he bolted to the door, throwing it open. 

"stan!" he shouted, clampering down the steps and running into the man's arms. stan let out a grunt at the impact, but then a snicker. 

"god eddie, you really missed me that much?" he smirked, his sandy curls hanging in his face. eddie nodded into his chest, the sound of his best friend's heartbeat filling his ear. his honey comb eyes looked down upon the smaller brunette lovingly. 

"bill's inside," eddie assured, stepping back and giving stanley a small push towards the porch. a wide smile formed on the man's face at eddies words, heading towards the house. 

eddie then looked to ben, giving him a soft smile and hugging him tightly. ben looked a bit off, his eyes red and his body shaky. 

"what's wrong?" eddie looked up at him, his silvery eyes curious. 

"this is something i need to tell everyone," ben responded quietly, looking down at his hands. that's when eddie followed his gaze, gasping in horror at the mess on his fingers. dried blood stained his light skin, the deadly red hue drastic against his flesh. 

"are you hurt?! oh my god! c'mon, we, we have to clean you up," eddie panicked, feeling his skin crawl at the view. 

"eddie," he said, catching the brunettes attention, "come inside." eddie obeyed, following after the older and walking up the steps, into the house. 

"ben!" mike cheered, grinning. eddie noticed that will was tucked into mike's side, his arms around the tallers waist. eddie held onto bens arm, following him into the kitchen. 

ben didn't mind, eddie and him had always been protective of each other. and he knew the boy was most likely missing affection due to the lack of richie tozier energy floating around the atmosphere. 

"where's h-hanlon?" bill asked from his spot on the couch with stan, the shorter man holding his hand loosely. 

ben frowned, staying silent. he unpacked the bag on his shoulder, setting cans of food and water bottles onto the granite counter of the house. 

"ben?" will asked softly, leaving mike's grasp to walk over to the counter. eddie took note of the way mike visibly saddened by the absence of byers, but he shook it off. 

"look, guys," ben finally spoke, sighing deeply before running his hand through his hair. eddie looked up at him, his smile disappearing at the other's tone. 

"what's wrong?" eddie asked in a small voice, looking to stan, who was nervously rubbing at the inside of his palm with two fingers. bill took his hands in his, tutting softly. 

"easy," he whispered, bringing stan's hands up to his lips, kissing the top softly. stanley nodded, leaning into his side. 

"ben, just tell them," stanley said shakily, his voice strained. 

"mike didn't make it back from the store," ben said quietly, frowning at his own words. 

"w-what?!" bill looked up, his face morphing into features filled with pure pain. 

"i don't know if he's dead, but the path got blocked, and some things fell, and he was stuck inside. we couldn't wait," ben put his head in his hands, rubbing at his face.

"oh, fuck," eddie whimpered, his small fists balling into the fabric of ben's long sleeve.

"i'm sorry," ben looked to the ground, shaking his head. 

stan's heart was in pain, but he didn't let the tears fall. he just chewed on his bottom lip and let bill whisper soft affirmations in his ear. eddie felt dizzy. mike was gone. mike, his best friend since elementary school. mike was gone. 

mike hanlon was gone.


	2. The Impact | E.T

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bomb hits and the group is forced to make some tough decisions revolving around little Eddie Kaspbrak.

ten minutes. 600 seconds. in 600 seconds, bombs would be dropped into the large city, causing a deadly explosion on impact. in 600 seconds, most would be dead, and the one's living left with nowhere to go. in 600 seconds, everything would be gone. including richie tozier.

"where the fuck is he?!" eddie cried out, the fat, salty tears streaming down his flushed, freckled cheeks as he looked into the eyes of richie's twin.

"i'm sure he'll make it," mike whispered, but he didn't seem so convinced. his eyes were glistening with worry, just increasing eddie's anxiety.

"bill, please," eddie pleaded, turning to the the taller man.

"eddie, we can't wait, w-we need to get into the basement a-and lock everything down," bill felt horrible, eddie's watery, silver eyes looking up at him, beseeching him.

"h-he'll get h-here, b-bill, please," eddie sobbed, his body shaking as the wails racked through his tiny figure, "i-m not g-going in w-without him."

bill shook his head, trying not to cry at the thought of richie out there when the bomb went off, but then he remembered the phone call with tozier before he got eddie.

"denbrough," richie's voice rung in his head, the panic in the ravenette's tone still fresh in bill's mind.

"bill, listen to me," he had snapped through the phone while the broadcast was streaming, "you go to our house. you get eds. and y-you take him to bev's okay? you make sure he's okay, please, bill."

"r-rich-" bill had sighed into the phone, but was cut off by richie's strained voice.

"you owe me one! remember, t-the punch. you punched me in the face, a-after we had a stupid fight about homework."

"richie, that w-was years ago..."

"bill denbrough, you owe me one! this is it, and we're even. please bill, h-he's," richie's voice had cracked, his shaky breath echoing through the speaker, "he's everything."

bill had understood then. richie would've done the same for him with stan. so he looked down at the crying eddie tozier, and simply cupped his cheeks and leaned down to eddie's height. his own eyes were sparkling with incoming tears.

"i-i'm so sorry," he whispered to eddie, making the brunette look up at him with desperation, fear, even. bill looked past eddie's shoulder, straightening up and nodding at ben, who had been watching with a knowing look on his face.

everyone else was waiting in the basement, they were just waiting on eddie. bill nodded to ben, who sighed deeply, but began to walk towards eddie.

eddie began to understand, turning back to bill, his bottom lip quivering and his eyes red from crying. "b-bill, p-please, don't d-do this," eddie cried out, reaching forward to grab ahold of bill's shirt. bill felt horrible, but he made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

"ben," bill said sternly, trying to put on a harsh gaze. eddie screamed out as ben grabbed ahold of his hips, yanking him back into his grasp.

"n-no!" eddie wailed and kicked, sobbing harshly as ben hauled eddie over his shoulder, the boy's breathing becoming erratic.

"b-bill! p-please!" eddie screeched into ben's back, who was heading down the stairs, bill following him. 

"w-we can't, i-i can't l-leave him!" the brunette cried out, his body going limp in ben's hold. he sniffled to himself, his heart aching as they continued down the stairs.

"c-chee," eddie whispered out through tears, his body trembling. they finally reached the basement, bill shutting the large, concrete door and activating all of the many locks. eddie was crying softly to himself, hiccuping as ben set him down on one of the beds in the room. immediately, arms wrapped around the small man.

eddie opened his eyes only to catch a blurred view of stan's gentle features. stanley pulled eddie into his lap, carding his hands through his hair and whispering soft affirmations. eddie nuzzled into stan's chest, his tears soaking into the man's shirt.

"r-richie," eddie cried into his chest, making stan whimper and clutch him tighter.

"i know, i know," stan felt his own eyes well with tears as he held onto eddie, flashes of their childhood running through his mind.

eddie sobbed harshly into stan's chest, trying not to think about his richie, out there when the bombs were dropped.

bill had finished with the door, looking around the room and sighing. there were only three creaky beds, and food-stocked shelves lined the walls. there were mostly cans and water jugs, but there was the occasional bag of powdered food or oatmeal.

"no bev or rich?" will asked softly from where he was sitting with mike on one of the beds.

bill shook his head slowly, biting his lip nervously. mike looked down at his hands, his curls hanging in his face. he looked over at his crying brother-in-law, feeling his eyes prick with tears.

"bill, will this room hold?" max asked from where she was standing with el, the two women standing closer than necessary, but no one commented on it.

"the bombs a-aren't meant to destroy a lot, they're meant to r-release gases. the bombing won't take down a lot of land, it'll j-just release high levels of r-radiation," bill explained quietly, rubbing his arm nervously.

"so building's will be okay?" ben asked.

"t-theoretically. but this basement is sealed to the point that r-radiation can't get through t-the concrete. other buildings a-aren't secure."

"how do you know about this?" stan asked softly, looking at his husband while eddie clung to his chest.

"t-the news, love, there was a continued broadcast leaking their best e-estimates of what the bombings would cause," bill sighed, walking over to eddie and stan to sit on the bed with them.

eddie had fallen asleep, clearly exhausted. small hiccups made his body jolt a tiny bit in his sleep, but other than that he was knocked out.

everyone was engrossed in their own hushed conversations, bill sighing at eddies sleeping figure.

"think h-he's gonna hate me forever?" bill asked stan quietly.

stan tucked a strand of eddies hair behind his ear, caressing the boy's cheek. "no, he'll understand. but for now he's gonna be upset, billy," he murmured gently.

"g-god," bill sighed shakily, "r-richie and beverly better have found somewhere s-safe to go."

"and if they didn't?" stan looked at him, a sad expression on his face.

"f-fuck. i don't know, stan," bill shook his head, running his hand through his auburn bangs. the man didn't respond, looking down at eddie and then humming softly.

"can we lay down?" he asked his husband, referring to the three of them. bill nodded, gently slipping underneath the blankets and scooting to the edge of the bed. stan gently laid eddie down, giggling softly when the smaller man immediately cuddled into bill's chest, soft sniffles coming from him.

"just like w-when we were kids," bill sighed softly, wrapping his arm around eddies waist and securing his best friend to his own body.

"he's still that same fifteen year old with four fannypacks strapped to his waist," stan joked softly, getting into the blankets, eddie between him and bill. bill laughed lowly, grinning at stan.

across the room, will was fiddling with his tiny fingers, avoiding mike's gaze.

"are you scared?" mike asked bluntly, his lips forming a tight line, not wanting to think about his twin brother.

"of course i am," will answered, sighing softly and glancing up at mike's beautiful, chestnut eyes. mike nodded, his curls bouncing along with his head's movements.

"it'll be okay," mike murmured, his hand rubbing at the other man's back soothingly.

"you know we're all gonna' die, right?" max scoffed from her place with el, her arm around the woman's waist.

"max!" mike glared at her, pulling will closer to him.

"what?! i'm the only one being realistic here!" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"we're not going to die!" ben spoke up, his eyes shining from the recent tears he had shed due to the unknowing of the location of beverly marsh.

"oh yeah? what about the gases? or when we run out of food? or when one of us goes crazy? or when we get attacked," max countered, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"t-then we'll figure it out!" bill sat up, making eddie grumble in his sleep. bill glared at everyone, "we'll figure i-it out, as a family. because we're not about to fucking d-die, got it?"

max sighed, nodding reluctantly at bill's words.

"how much time left?" mike asked quietly, making everyone turn to look at bill. bill looked down at his watch, checking the timer he had set earlier.

"three minutes," he answered blankly, his stutter not making an appearance in his statement.

stan sighed, rubbing at his eyes, a nervous habit he had picked up as a child.

"fuck," will breathed out, his heart hammering in his chest, threatening to crack his rib cage and burst through his flesh.

"r-rich," eddie whimpered in his sleep, causing stan to look at bill with a worried look. bill sighed.

"w-wake him up now. if he wakes u-up from the sound, he's going to panic," bill said, gesturing to the small man.

"is no one going to talk about the dog," el suddenly brought up, pointing to the small pomeranian sleeping on top of eddie's bag in the corner of the room.

"it's food," max chuckled, making will gag.

"oh fuck off," stan snapped, "it's eddie's dog, anyone touches her and they're dead."

bill chuckled softly, but his laughter was cut short as a loud sound rang through the air, the sound of the atmosphere cracking under the pressure of the first bomb.

the loud booms echoed all throughout the room, making stan clap his hands over his ears and squeeze his eyes shut tightly, the noise-making his eardrums buzz in discomfort.

there were strangled screams within the room, adding to the sweet harmony of pure horror. it seemed never-ending, the room shaking from the impact that occurred in the middle of the city. eddie shot awake, his ears in pain from the excruciating noises. he let out a wail of fear, hiding his face in his elbow as if he was going to sneeze.

the bombings continued for a few minutes, and then everything went silent. all that was left was their pounding headaches and buzzing eardrums.

stan felt dizzy, clutching his head and letting out a small groan. bill immediately tried to scoot closer to his husband, but the ringing inside his brain proved to be too painful to move with.

the dog in the room was whining in fear, burying her face in eddies bag, her back legs shaking.

the fear and pain in the atmosphere rose, making the room seem to shrink with each impending second. eddie clutched onto bill, his chest heaving while stan gripped onto his forearm. eddie winced as nails dug into the skin of his arm, but he let stan do it, knowing the man needed to ground himself.

"f-fuck," will whimpered from where he was hidden in mike's chest, the taller covering his own ears.

"is it over?" el whispered meekly from her spot on the floor, her knees tucked to her chest. max was hidden in the crook of the woman's neck, her strawberry blonde hair frizzes tickling the brunette's cheek.

bill was whispering soft affirmations to eddie and stan, who were hidden in his chest. he had two arms wrapped around them both. eddie gripped onto the collar of bill's shirt and stan held onto eddie's hand while resting his cheek against bill's bicep.

"i-it's gonna be okay," bill whispered to them, sighing softly at the feeling of both the small men shaking in his arms.

eddie pondered on that statement, his tears dripping off his chin and onto bill's clothes. his mind flashed with old memories.

"it's gonna' be okay, eds," six-year-old richie tozier cupped his cheeks gently, his blue eyes large from his nerdy glasses that framed his face. the boy pressed the bandaid onto the small cut on eddie's knee, smoothing out the hello-kitty printed plaster with his thumb.

"it's going to be okay, cutie," richie murmured, his wild curls hanging in front of his eyes, this time 14-years-old. the ravenette dragged the red marker over the hateful words on eddie's arm cast, one he had gotten from trying to climb a tree and slipping. richie stopped when the 'v' was formed correctly, his bright eyes looking at eddie affectionately. "you're not a loser, eds, you're a lover," he whispered.

"it's g-gonna b-be okay," richie wiped his tears off his own face, now 17 years young. the boy's body trembled as the blood trickled down from his nose in a thick flow, one of his eyes surrounded by a ring of purple pain that a few boy's had inflicted on him after catching him holding eddie's hand in the hallway.

"it's going to be okay, my love," richie whispered for the very last time, this time 23-years-old. his lips pressed against eddie's gently as a slight flush made it's way to the brunette's cheeks. his eyes fluttered closed. richie had insisted he go to the pharmacy with bev to pick up eddie's anxiety medication, twenty minutes before the broadcast aired.

and for the first time, out of all the time's anyone had told him 'it would be okay,' this was the first time that eddie really, truly, doubted it.

nothing would be okay. nothing would ever be okay, never again.

at least not for a very, very long time.


	3. The Beginning | R.T

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the point of view shifts to none other than the thought-to-be deceased Richie Tozier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every two chapters we will switch to richie's side of the story, so in this part the bomb HASNT gone off yet !! the title of the chapter will indicate what pov it's from (ex: e.t or r.t) . so, for instance, eddie had his beginning, and now richie is having his! hope that makes sense!

richie had been thrown into a collection of shelves in the middle of the pharmacy right after the end of his phone call with eddie. his glasses flew across the room from the sudden impact, leaving his eyes stinging and his vision blurry. he hadn’t seen beverly in a few minutes, ever since she went to grab some food and didn’t come back. this devastating fact meant that he was alone without his vision. 

“f-fuck!” he blurted out in an exasperated voice as he stumbled away from the shelf, clutching his arm as his flesh throbbed with indescribable pain. the man tried blinking to clear up his vision, but the blurs of people running in front of him didn’t fade. the screams echoed in his mind, clouding his senses.

he shakily lowered himself to his knees, feeling around with his calloused hands for the glasses he had lost. his palms dragged across the cold, dirty floor in search. the skin on his hand ripped painfully as a piece of glass sticking up from the floor dragged over his flesh and sliced right through with little trouble. he winced and groaned audibly as he felt the familiar, warm rush of blood trickle down his porcelain flesh. nevertheless, he continued to search. he sighed in relief when his fingertips brushed against the cool material of the frame of his glasses. 

richie grabbed at them, shakily putting them on and standing up on his wobbling legs. he ignored the stinging pain traveling through his hand, pressing his palm against the thigh of his jeans. the ruby substance from his gash soaked into the fabric, the flaps of ravaged skin quickly becoming irritated as the material of his pants rubbed against the cut. 

he heard many things; glass shattering, sobbing, car honks from outside, gun shots, etc. however, a blood-curling scream caught him by surprise the most, making him whip around right as a woman was dragged down the aisle by a couple of men. her nails clawed at the wooden pharmacy floors as she writhed around on the slippery tiles of the pharmacy. 

“my baby!” she screeched out, squirming to try and escape their grasp, her attention locked on the tiny child in her cart. the tiny kid was crying, and looked to be about two. 

delicate, chestnut curls covered the baby’s head, complimenting her wide, hazel irises perfectly. faint freckles could be seen lining her olive-colored upper cheeks and nose, reminding richie of eddie. 

he stumbled over to the baby, looking around for the woman, but her screams were no longer heard. the baby looked up at richie, her bottom lip quivering and tears falling down her cheeks.

and in that moment, richie had two options. he could leave the baby, leave it to die. or he could take the baby and risk adding another responsibility to his plate. he bit his lip in thought so hard that his pink skin split under his teeth, blood oozing out from his lower lip as a painful result. 

“fuck,” he whispered in defeat as he scooped up the child, cradling her to his chest. he then looked around for impending danger, his arctic irises wild with fear. the curly-headed man was so terrified that he almost missed the way the child clutched onto the fabric of his shirt, her sobs shallowing into soft hiccups. 

“mama!” the child cried out, her tiny hands fisting the fabric of richie’s clothing. 

“gotta’ be quiet, sweetheart,” richie said softly, jogging to the front of the store with eddie’s medications jiggling in his pocket. he glanced around when he reached the entrance, looking around one last time for the child’s mother. 

she was nowhere to be found. 

and so richie set out into the streets, the baby tightly hidden in his arms protectively. he held her head gently to his chest, shielding her from any impending danger. 

“w-wan’ m-ma!” the child sobbed, her babbling a bit incoherent due to her age. 

“i know, i know, but you hafta’ be quiet, lovely,” richie skidded to a halt when gunshots echoed into the atmosphere, making him freeze in horror. the sound rang in his ears, making his head spin. men, probably twenty of them dressed in all black, were marching down the street, heavy guns in arms. 

they were shooting at anyone who tried to run, bodies flying and people screaming. richie ducked behind a large car that was flipped on its side, clutching the young girl to his body, his breathing laboured. 

“what the fuck,” he breathed, his throat sore and his voice hoarse. richie held his breath as the shots grew nearer, tucking his head into his arm to quiet himself down. his body ached everywhere, but he ignored it. 

“you! get the fuck up and freeze!” a voice snarled at him as his curls were roughly grabbed. the man used his hold on richie’s hair to pull him out from behind the car and press the muzzle of the glock against richie’s temple. 

richie glared as the cool tip of the gun pressed against his warm flesh. he held the darling baby to his chest protectively, refusing to hand her over. luckily, they didn’t seem interested in her. 

“this one,” the man holding the gun stated bluntly, nudging the tip against richie’s head a bit harder. 

“really?” one of them scoffed, reloading his gun and pausing his sentence to aim at a small woman running across the street. he shot her without hesitation, the bullet seeming to pierce her thigh, causing her to screech and fall to the floor. “you only get four people,” he finished his thought. 

“i wan’ these two,” he responded, eyeing the ravenette up and down with his dark, emerald eyes. he wore a helmet, so richie could only make out the bright hue of his irises. another, larger man stepped forward, humming darkly. his captivating black eyes glared at richie fiercely. 

“aight’, load ‘em up.” 

richie couldn’t really process what was happening, his body being jerked backwards as a truck skidded to a halt in front of the group. richie was smacked across the face, his head snapping sideways from the impact. 

“in the back, now,” a man snarled, pushing the tall man towards the truck. richie obeyed, only because of the whimpering kid he held to his chest. he climbed in, immediately gasping at the sight of around six other people. he didn’t study their faces too hard, he didn’t get the chance. he was forced into the corner of the truck by a gun pressing between his shoulder blades. 

and so he sat in the van, cradling the small baby to his body while trying to figure out where he was and where he was being taken. 

the only sound in the back of the musty truck was the quiet sniffling of a few of the captives, causing the little girl in richie’s arms to grow more anxious. “m-m-mama,” she croaked out, causing richie’s heart to break. 

“shh, kid. you’re gonna be fine, yeah?” he whispered as he gently carded his fingers through her coffee-colored locks as an attempt to soothe her. richie tozier was exceptionally good with kids, so comforting them came as a natural talent to him. “do you like puppies, sweetheart?” he then asked curiously, wanting to give her something to look forward to. 

the little girl sniffled and wiped away at the snot trickling down her top lip, nodding slowly as she did so. richie cooed and nodded, keeping his voice soft to not startle her. “well, you’re in luck. i have the prettiest, most cute dog the world has ever seen,” he boasted quietly with a small chuckle, before frowning, “what’s your name, dear?” 

the toddler looked at him through the darkness, her shaking voice no louder than a quiet whisper. “o-olive,” she answered in a shy voice as the last of her tears trickled down her bronze cheeks. richie was about to respond when suddenly the back doors were yanked open again. richie quickly pulled olive closer, tucking her away protectively in his chest as his eyes adjusted to the bright light streaming in from outside. 

“you stupid cunt! i’ll fucking kill you!” a shrill and clearly angry voice yelled out, causing one of the men to merely chuckle. a small body then was thrown into the back, a flash of flaming hair streaking through the air before the doors were shut and the darkness closed in. a loud ‘thud’ echoed into the area as the body hit the wall, a soft groan breaking the silence. 

the others around them gasped and scooted away out of fear, but richie moved closer. he would know that sassy voice anywhere. “beverly,” he rushed out while blinking desperately as an attempt to adjust to the lack of light but to no avail. it was simply too dark for his vision-impaired self. 

“i’m fuckin’ here,” the woman groaned out, coughing as dust invaded her lungs. her side was throbbing from the throw, but she would survive. soon her warmth was pressing against richie’s shoulder, proving that they were side by side. the curly-headed man sighed in relief and moved a thin arm around her waist, pulling her close. 

now that she was near him, he could somewhat make out her beautiful features; the familiar, sharp curve of her jawline was just the start of her beauty, a mere appetiser. beverly’s captivating, arctic irises couldn’t be seen in the dark, but richie knew they were twinkling up at him with a mixture of concern and annoyance. richie reached out with his unoccupied hand, sniffling when his fingertip brushed over a silky curl that was hanging beside her jaw. “oh, bevy,” the man whispered out, moving forward to gently kiss her forehead. 

the redhead let out a soft giggle, her eyebrow raising through the thick layer of dark. “yup. ‘tis me, tozier. where they taking us?” 

the unfamiliar female voice caused olive to squirm a bit in richie’s hold, her round eyes blinking to try to adjust and see the woman’s features. richie simply kept an arm around the little girl, securing her to his thin chest as he spoke in a hushed voice to beverly. “no fuckin’ clue, but it ain’t gonna’ be good,” he chuckled dryly, causing olive to sniffle and let a tiny whimper emit from her peanut-colored lips. 

richie looked down at the child when he heard the fearful sound, his eyebrows pulling together to create a look of genuine concern. “sh, lovely. how about you try and relax while i talk to my friend, yeah?” he asked her gently, his delivery of the phrase softer and more articulate than his words directed at beverly. 

olive looked up at him with her heart-shaped face, snot from her button nose mixing with some of her salty tears as she nodded. richie tutted gently and used his shirt to wipe away at the messes on her face, not caring about the germs. once she was clean, the little girl leaned forwards so her slightly chubby cheek squished up against the chest of the man. richie sighed and set a hand on the back of her head, securing her to his body as he slowly rocked her from side to side. 

beverly had been watching the gentle interaction with curious and slightly confused irises, her eyebrow raised as she watched the dark outlines of the two hold each other close. “correct me if i’m wrong.. but you didn’t have a child before we went to the pharmacy, right?” she snickered , although she did wonder if her hyperactive mind had caused her to forget the entire existence of a child. 

richie simply chuckled in response, his glasses slipping to the edge of his crooked nose as his midnight ringlets fell in front of his eyes. “no, i didn’t have a child before this,” he stated bluntly, not offering any explanation as to where he had found little olive. beverly marsh took his response as a sign to drop the topic, so she sighed and rested her temple up against his bony shoulder, her eyelids fluttering shut as the truck drove over bumps and a rocky path. 

richie sighed and leaned his head back against the inner wall of the vehicle, his strawberry lips pushing together to form a small pout as he let his mind wander. 

no, he hadn’t had a child before the pharmacy. but that didn’t mean he hadn’t longed for one. 

eddie kaspbrak had made one thing very clear at the start of their marriage, and it had been the firm statement that he did not want kids. richie remembered the conversation all too perfectly, the memory keeping him up at night and plaguing his day's thoughts. 

eddie had been moving boxes into their living space, his toned biceps flexing as he hauled a chair into the kitchen area. richie had been sitting on the couch, a lollipop hanging out from between his pink lips, the sweet and sticky candy substance coating over his mouth and tainting it with a childish shade of amethyst. 

“care to help, dumbass?” eddie had scoffed as he set the large down on the tiled floor, his freckled nose scrunched up in annoyance. richie had simply given him a lazy grin in response along with a quick shake of his head. he then had suckled more furiously on the round candy in his mouth before letting go with a small ‘pop’ of his lips. 

“not really, doll. i’m enjoying the view from here anyways,” he had flirted shamelessly, his eyes locking on the arousing roundness of eddie’s perfectly shaped behind. the petite brunette had let out a noise that could only be described as pure hatred and frustration, but richie noticed the loving twinkle in the man’s eyes as he glared at richie. 

“fuck off, perv. now come and help me unload the rest of the boxes. there’s some kids outside that are playing basketball and i don’t want them accidentally hitting one of my figures,” eddie let out a bratty whine, his lower lip jutting out as a silent plea for richie to come and help him. the curly-headed man had chuckled and swung his long legs over the side of the couch, standing up as he plopped the lollipop into the nearest trash can. 

eddie collected pristine glass animal figures, a recent (and expensive) obsession he had hyper fixated on after seeing a few of them in a pawn shop back in derry. 

richie then joined his husband’s side, his thin arm snaking around eddie’s waist to give him a playful squeeze as they made their way out of the apartment and down the two flights of stairs. richie’s hyperactive mind ran free as they climbed down the steps, his eyebrows furrowing as a question balanced on the tip of his tongue. “hey, eds?” 

“yeah, rich?” 

“when are we going to have children of our own?” 

eddie had come to a complete stop as his husband’s words left his mouth, his grey irises widening as he let the phrase ring in his ears. he had then snorted as if richie had just told him the most idiotic joke, his nose scrunching up as he shook his head. “that’s a joke, right?” he asked with a raised eyebrow and a soft snicker, causing richie’s arctic irises to widen drastically at his response. 

richie quickly let out a weak and forced chuckle, his head nodding quickly as he rubbed at his forearm anxiously. “y-yeah, yeah. y’know me, eds. don’t take anything i say too seriously,” the curly-headed man said with a soft chortle, doing his best to swallow the rising lump in the back of his throat. eddie had taken a few extra seconds to study his lover’s expression, his silvery irises analysing the situation. 

“whatever you say, richie.. i’m just not really interested in messy children. besides, with my mom and all… would i really make the best father?” eddie asked him with a quiet voice, his face still overcome with an expression of doubt and confusion. richie opened his mouth to speak but then closed it immediately, his teeth sinking down into his tongue to stop himself from saying something that might upset eddie. 

the curly-headed man wanted nothing more than to pull eddie into his embrace and tell him how much of a lovely father richie believed he would be. he wanted to explain to the petite brunette that parenting was one of the things richie had been looking forward to his entire life.. but how could he argue with the other man’s logic? if the man who had been verbally and medically abused by his mother for the first eighteen years of his life didn’t want children due to his trauma, then it simply wasn’t richie’s place to beg him to reconsider. 

so, instead of letting the vulnerability overcome him, he had simply blinked back tears and nodded stiffly, a weak and wobbling smile forming on his strawberry lips. 

and now, two years into the future, as richie held onto the little girl inside of the rickety and damp truck trailer, he couldn’t help but wonder if eddie would possibly be mad at him for bringing home an ‘uninvited guest.’ of course his growing anxieties were utterly irrational, but that didn’t stop them from festering inside of him. 

of course, all of these anxious ideas of what eddie’s reaction would be were based on the unrealistic assumption that his husband was still alive. richie immediately shook his head at that thought, letting out a shaky exhale as he buried his face into olive’s silky and puffy curls, the feathery locks of hair tickling at his procession cheeks as he did so. 

eddie was alive. he just had to be.


End file.
